My goal for this year and beyond is to continue with agribusiness, focusing on raising sheep and expanding my poultry farming. This will help me save money and eventually open other businesses in the future. By doing so, I’ll be able to provide for my children and support my entire family, who depend on me. Livestock and poultry farming will create a stable and sustainable source of income. This will allow me to meet my family's needs and build a better future for all of us.

What stood out to me about GiveDirectly is their sensitization process. We were thoroughly informed and prepared about the cash program well before receiving the money, which made everything clear and transparent. However, my recommendation is for GiveDirectly to reconsider its enrollment strategy, shifting from the household level to the individual level. Many young girls have dropped out of school, and have families, but still live with their parents. Under the current household-based strategy, these girls may not fully benefit from the program, even though they have their own needs and responsibilities.

I was overjoyed when I received $450 from GiveDirectly, and I immediately set to work on the plan I had in mind. I used $350 to buy five sheep. I had never owned livestock before, and with the high cost of buying milk, these sheep will help me cut down on that expense in the long run. Additionally, I’ll be able to generate income from raising livestock. I already have grass available for grazing, so providing pasture won’t be a problem. I also spent $40 to build a secure space for the sheep, ensuring they are safe from theft and predators. With that done, I turned my attention to poultry farming, another project I’m excited to start. Although I’ve never done it before, I used $34 to build a proper space that will accommodate a good number of chickens. Now, I am waiting for GiveDirectly’s final transfer so I can buy the chickens. This project will provide a steady income, as I plan to sell eggs and chickens. Lastly, I spent $20 on food to make sure my family had enough to eat. The recent drought affected my harvest, so this was necessary to keep us going. GiveDirectly’s support has been a blessing, and these projects will help secure my family’s future and create a sustainable source of income.

I received the money earlier in the day, but I only saw the message around 5 p.m. Feeling both excited and cautious, I immediately called my neighbor, an elderly man, to remind him to keep his phone safe and not share his PIN with anyone. I was filled with happiness and relief, knowing that this money would finally allow me to invest in agriculture. The excitement grew as I began planning to use the funds as capital to start planting watermelons, a project I’ve been wanting to pursue for a long time.

The biggest difference for me since receiving the cash transfer is the chance to invest in agriculture, which has completely changed my family’s financial future. With the funds, I was able to plant watermelons, and I anticipate a significant profit that will help me start a business in buying and selling sheep. This support has given me the opportunity to build a path out of poverty, something I never thought possible before. Without GiveDirectly, I wouldn’t have had the means to begin farming, as watermelon cultivation requires a substantial amount of capital.

With my first transfer of $180, I invested all of it in agriculture, specifically to plant watermelons. I'm expecting to harvest enough to fill one lorry, which I can sell for around $1,500. I have four children, and my wife is an ECD (Early Childhood Development) teacher, earning about $9,000 per month. While waiting for the watermelon harvest, I’ve also planted kales, which provide around $60 to cover basic needs. Additionally, I own 30 sheep, and I plan to sell some in case of an emergency, giving us a backup source of income.The watermelons are a major opportunity because they have the potential for high profit. Once we harvest, I will use the money from the watermelons to expand my business by buying and selling livestock. My plan is to purchase sheep at $50 and sell them at $70, making a profit of $20 per sheep. This would be a huge turning point for me, allowing us to grow our income steadily.For watermelon farming, I use a generator and pipes to pump water from the nearby river, ensuring the crops are well-irrigated. I'm hopeful that this venture will bring in a good profit, and I’m looking forward to reinvesting in more sheep with the next transfer. This will help me build a more stable financial future for my family and expand our farming and livestock businesses.